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Ethnic minority groups in England and Wales have repeatedly been shown to experience persistent socioeconomic disadvantage compared with the ethnic majority. However, existing longitudinal analyses of ethnic variations in social mobility have typically examined inter-generational change or focused on relatively short time periods. This study uses unique data from the ONS Longitudinal Study (a 1% sample of the England and Wales population linked across all censuses since 1971) to examine the intra-generational economic mobility of individuals with different ethnicities and genders between 1971 and 2011, over time and across cohorts: based on analyses of changes in occupational class and economic activity at both the group- and individual- level. It also explores aspects of within-ethnic-group heterogeneity through an investigation of variations by religion amongst the Indian group. Findings indicate positive trends for some groups – relative to white British people – but also persistent disadvantage and other more complex patterns which reflect the heterogeneity in experiences of social mobility underlying broad ethnic/religious categories.

Saffron is a Senior Lecturer in Social Research at the University of Bristol and her research aims to better understand the different ways in which ethnicity has meaning and relevance in people's lives, both for developing awareness of potential group affiliations and as a driver of health and other inequalities. It engages particularly with the negative impact of forms of racist victimisation on these processes. She maintains a close relationship with the Race Equality Foundation, charity and third sector strategic partner to the NHS. Prior to taking up her post at Bristol, Saffron was a senior research fellow in the Department of Epidemiology and Public Health at UCL.